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2 May 2013

Vintage Baby

The happiest times of my life have been with my babies and I still have a love of anything baby and old! I love old sepia photos and the lovely soft colors they results in. This photo is of myself and my sister. I am about 3 years old, she is about 1. I remember the day of this photo, yes still after 4o something years! I was standing on a stool in our bathroom with a piece of sellotape across my forehead so my mother could cut a very straight fringe! I couldn't work out why she had to have it so straight! Her favorite story is that I was a very sleepy baby (that hasn't changed!) and I had to be woken every four hours for a feed by dabbing wet cotton balls on my cheeks! There was a regime of strict four hourly feeds for babies in the 1960's. Those were the days!

I have many favorite baby items like little suits and toys that my boys
had as babies, which will be very vintage by the time they have children! Most of my children's jumpers were hand-knitted by my grandmother who did the most amazing picture work as you can see. I made a "special request" for the ship jumper and she designed it herself without a pattern for Lachlan, my eldest. It is a shame to have them stored away so I got them out for a bit of color in my sewing room. Would look good in a babies room too.

Big ted is 50 years old this year. Still hanging in there except for a loose left eye. His eyes are the beautiful tortise-shell buttons used years ago. He has been played with and poked at by many children but has withstood the test of time! Mr Koala is my husbands old favorite and is about 52 years old! He has a suede tummy and must have nine lives coming from a household of five boys! Black and white ted and the little red wagon are vintage shop buys. The clown is from the 1950's and is stuffed with sawdust. His gorgeous velvet pants and 50's fabric shirt made him a "must have." If I am not watching or do not have him out of reach, our dog Banjo will run off with him and use him as a chew toy!

Small storage for your baby bits and pieces. A vintage dolls dresser (I have stored my jewellery in it) but think it would be great for cotton buds, balls, and creams. Silk baby shoes on top a market find and lovely baby Ben in the photo.